To say 'I love you' one must first be able to say the 'I.'
Ayn RandRead
A building has integrity just like a man. And just as seldom.
Interpretation
Integrity is essential for both buildings and people, though it is often rare.
In this quote, Ayn Rand compares the integrity of a building to that of a person, suggesting that just as a well-constructed building should stand strong and true, a person should also possess moral and ethical steadfastness. She points out that both are often lacking in modern society, highlighting the scarcity of true integrity in both structures and individuals.
In practice
This quote can be used in a speech about ethical architecture.
To say 'I love you' one must first be able to say the 'I.'
The difference between animals and humans is that animals change themselves for the environment, but humans change the environment for themselves.
It is my eyes which see, and the sight of my eyes grants beauty to the earth. It is my ears which hear, and the hearing of my ears gives its song to the world. It is my mind which thinks, and the judgement of my mind is the only searchlight that can find the truth. It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will is the only edict I must respect.
What is the basic, the essential, the crucial principle that differentiates freedom from slavery? It is the principle of voluntary action versus physical coercion or compulsion.
One method of destroying a concept is by diluting its meaning. Observe that by ascribing rights to the unborn, i.e., the nonliving, the anti-abortionists obliterate the rights of the living.
I think that when in doubt about the truth of an issue, it's safer and in better taste to select the least numerous of the adversaries.
Ask yourself these two questions: Do I remember at every moment that I am dying, and that everyone and everything else is, and so treat all beings at all times with compassion? Has my understanding of death and impermanence become so keen and so urgent that I am devoting every second to the pursuit of enlightenment? If you can answer "yes" to both of these, then you really understand impermanence.
The fundamental issue is the moral issue.
It is through exchange that difference becomes a blessing, not a curse.
But an old age serene and bright, and lovely as a Lapland night, shall lead thee to thy grave.
I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isn't just that I don't believe in God and, naturally, I hope that I'm right in my belief. It's that I hope there is no God! I don't want there to be a God; I don't want the universe to be like that.
Is there not a sort of remorse that precedes sin? Was it remorse at the very fact that I existed?
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.